Coldness farewell
by SeleccionPeruana
Summary: The story told from perspective of Eriri Spencer Sawamura, who herself idolize the greatest Australian legend in his final match before his goodbye. At the moment, she sings a song...


When Tim Cahill walked into the ANZ stadium, as he replaced for Aaron Mooy, he saw the sky had shined.

The city of Sydney was blessed with his appearance. It would be the last appearance of the warrior, the legend of all Australia, only one and for all.

The ball went to his feet, as he saw the scoreline, 3-0, which his team led the Lebanese side. He then saw everything … back.

…

…

…

"入夜漸微涼 繁花落地成霜  
你在遠方眺望 耗盡所有暮光  
不思量 自難相忘

( _The night becomes chilly and the fallen flowers become frost.  
_ _You overlook afar and use up the time.  
_ _How can you forget when you keep thinking of it?_ )

As if …

* * *

#####

 _Ten years ago …_

Tim Cahill, having just marked his debut, subsequently was spotted by the FFA and he went on to serve for the nation he was born. Then manager of Australia, Frank Farina, stated:

"Cahill has a big, big future. And definitely, he will become our bomb."

Cahill was first just touched with the national team when he had no clue of what would have been next. Back then, Australia was negotiating with the Asian Football Confederation to accept her as a new member. The AFC, having not escaped from the shock of Kazakhstan abandoning the AFC to join the UEFA, immediately took measure to preserve Asia's football quality. They issued acceptance of Australia as new AFC member next year.

…

…

夭夭桃花涼 前世你怎舍下  
這一海心茫茫 還故作不痛不癢不牽強  
都是假象

( _The peach blossoms are chilly.  
_ _How can you let go of our memory in the previous life and pretend to be painless?  
_ _It is unreal._ )

And in the blossom, Cahill soon predicted, it was about to change.

His career, however, never thought to be that way …

…

…

…

涼涼夜色 爲你思念成河  
化作春泥 呵護著我  
淺淺歲月 拂滿愛人袖  
片片芳菲 入水流

( _I think of you on the chilly nights.  
_ _The memories become the spring mud to cherish me.  
_ _The peach blossoms have dropped in your clothes.  
_ _Then they have dropped into the river._ )

Australia finally qualified thanks for Mark Bresciano's goal and crucial penalty saves by Schwarzer with Aloisi's goals allowed Australia to return to World Cup since 1974. Cahill, who played the return leg, saw everything and he was so impressed.

The young Socceroo went to 2006 World Cup held in Germany with a great deal of passion. He wanted to make history and he met Japan, his team's first opponent. The battle for glory began for him.

…

Japan scored first, and when people expected an Australian defeat, Guus Hiddink, Dutch legend who coached his native Netherlands and the South Koreans, deemed his gambling by throw Tim Cahill. Before enter, Hiddink stated:

"Come, come and show what we can do."

In 83', suddenly …

涼涼天意 瀲灩一身花色  
落入凡塵 傷情著我  
生劫易渡 情劫難了  
折舊的心 還有幾分前生的恨  
還有幾分  
前生的恨

( _The chilly weather has dropped peach blossoms in my clothes.  
_ _I think of the memory and it hurts me again.  
_ _It is easy to overcome death but not love.  
_ _In my broken heart, there is still some hatred from the previous life.  
_ _There is still some  
_ _hatred from the previous life._ )

"GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!"

He saw a goal scored by him! Not just one, but two! All occurred in late minutes. Thus this meant an Australian victory. They added a third one to end in a 3-1 victory over the Japanese. This subsequently marked Tim Cahill's rise as a superstar of Australia.

He continued his incredible forms, although he was unable to score more than two. But it was history written by him that helped Australia to progress into the next round, where future King, Italy, eliminated Cahill's team.

也曾鬓微霜 也曾因你回光  
悠悠歲月漫長 怎能浪費時光  
去流浪  
去流浪  
去換成長

( _My hair has turned white for you and I have died for you.  
_ _But the period is so long. How can I use up the time  
_ _wandering  
_ _wandering  
_ _to restart my life?_ )

Cahill once again, gave a spot light when he scored a goal in Australia's maiden Asian Cup run, helping his team avoid a shock defeat to Oman in a 1-1 draw. Relatively young at that time, he was not selected much, and ended up with just a single goal, and Australia crashed out by Japan, the team they eliminated a year before in Germany.

Tim Cahill, with the recognition in Everton, his club, he became a frightening player with strong ability to make change in the field. Eventually, Everton fans gave him as the team's jewel. He became eternal model of every Australians, increasing popularity of football.

But as Cahill was walking, he saw cherry blossom again. He addressed with a young fan:

"Everything seems to be its way. We are blossoms, and we ended with it. But it will soon rise again. And I hope, I can make you be like you are."

Tim had seen it.

…

灼灼桃花涼 今生愈漸滾燙  
一朵已放心上 足夠三生三世背影成雙  
背影成雙  
在水一方

( _The chilly peach blossoms become hotter in this life.  
_ _It is already enough for us to stay together for three lives.  
_ _Our back views are shone  
_ _in the waterside._ )

And as Timmy continued his runs, he kept burning.

But he never forgot the story of blossom, which his mother told as a kid. Blossom had its small, but unique and eternal beauty that could never be replaced.

He also thought about previous life. He thought about like a samurai, and to fight like a samurai. Perhaps, his past life was a great samurai in feudal Japan.

This was maintained on his belief. And thus he adored blossom, even told his wife Rebekah, to mention it several times.

…

涼涼夜色 爲你思念成河  
化作春泥 呵護著我  
淺淺歲月 拂滿愛人袖  
片片芳菲 入水流

( _I think of you on the chilly nights.  
_ _The memories become the spring mud to cherish me.  
_ _The peach blossoms have dropped in your clothes.  
_ _Then they have dropped into the river._ )

In 2010 World Cup, however, Tim didn't have chill moment. He was sent out. Australia lost 0-4 to Germany, and drew 1-1 to Ghana. At the time of his suspension, he used times to make a moment to read about the rule of football, passion of life, movement and healing ability.

In his return against Serbia, he scored a goal! Brett Holman added the second by a superb kick, with Australia won 2-1, eliminated in style. Cahill, however, saw the star was moving. It was about time.

He was older. And older.

…

涼涼天意 潋滟一身花色  
落入凡塵 傷情著我  
生劫易渡 情劫難了  
折舊的心 還有幾分前生的恨

( _The chilly weather has dropped peach blossoms in my clothes.  
_ _I think of the memory and it hurts me again.  
_ _It is easy to overcome death but not love.  
_ _In my broken heart, there is still some hatred from the previous life._ )

Forget the cold of England, he with the blossom feeling ran for Australia's maiden Asian Cup title in Qatar 2011, but even when Timmy had blown more than usual, Australia still failed to win.

He scored against India, the only team he netted whole tournament, but his symbolic appearance gave most strength for Australia. The brave Socceroos lost to Japan in the final, but that Evertonian guy proved to be tough.

He kept burning in England. And at the rest, he walked into a cherry blossom garden, where he gave a brief smile.

…

…

…

涼涼三生三世 恍然如夢  
須臾的年 風乾淚痕  
若是回憶 不能再相認  
就讓情分 落九塵

( _Passing three chilly lives is just like a dream.  
_ _These years have already dried my tears.  
_ _If you don't want to think of me,  
_ _just forget it._ )

In a move, he needed to bright.

At 2014 World Cup, he saw his team lost in a heroic standoff against three powers, Chile, the Netherlands and Spain. He scored two, including what would be his greatest goal ever in the net of the Dutch.

Like a samurai, his sword stroke into deep heart. But his loyalty to his nation, his family, remained unquestioned.

His care on younger man, his impression of the flow of the sea, inspired his run in the 2015 Asian Cup held at home.

He scored again …

涼涼十里 何時還會春盛  
又見樹下 一盞風存  
落花有意 流水無情  
別讓恩怨愛恨 涼透那花的純

( _When will the peach blossoms open again?  
_ _I see you standing under the tree.  
_ _If it is just my unrequited love,  
_ _I will not ruin your life again._ )

Australia won against Kuwait 4-1. Then he braced in a 2-0 win over China in quarter-finals. Only three goals, but he rode all Australia into the final, and his power, enough, to help Australia …

"It's over! Australia is now crowned as continental champions!"

Timmy had seen the light. As like the old story, he raised his sword, and stabbed it into the ground, a pay for his hardworks.

However, ages soon became a concern, and Tim's age affected the team's performance. Australia faced hardship and on this time, without Timmy, Australia struggled to finally qualify for 2018 World Cup.

In his match against Syria, he scored two goals against the Syrians to finalize his last World Cup run. Of course, due to the age, he had to see his young players to play in a last moment.

Australia, once again, could not win.

But as Tim Cahill had fulfilled a promise at youth:

"I will become a symbol, and I shall handle it to people."

And, he was proud of the team. He never forgot it. Never.

…

…

…

…

…

#####

After 90'.

Australia ended their game with a 3-0 win over Lebanon in Sydney. With Cahill, it was his last will before he completely left the stadium. He saw the cherry blossom, again, when a fan, she walked, and hugged him.

"Thank you."

…

Timmy, touched with the feeling, he hugged in response. He was grateful that people had followed till the end, and he saluted them. From now, he would go into his family business.

吾生願 牽塵"

( _I want to be with you forever._ )

He soon realized …

He thanked me, and he walked out. As such, the cherry blossom I'd held on my hand, gave a fly, as he said goodbye.

For the others, they thanked him for his duty, and was glad to honor Timmy, as a warrior.

…

And, of course, many years later, he would be the man who attended on my marriage with my future …


End file.
